EDITOR’S NOTE: September’s preliminary and August’s revised county unemployment rate charts are posted at http://workforce.ky.gov/Sept09charts.pdf. Acrobat Reader is required to view charts. To download Acrobat Reader, please see the end of this news release.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 26, 2009) — Unemployment rates rose in all 120 Kentucky counties between September 2008 and September 2009, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.

Fayette County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the commonwealth at 7.7 percent. It was followed by Calloway County, 8 percent; Boyd and Woodford counties, 8.3 percent each; Oldham and Rowan counties, 8.6 percent each; Madison County, 8.7 percent; Jessamine and Webster counties, 8.8 percent each; and Clinton County, 9 percent.

Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 21.4 percent. It was followed by Jackson County, 17.5 percent; Powell County, 16.7 percent; Grayson County, 16.4 percent; Trigg County, 16 percent; Metcalfe County, 15.8 percent; Lewis County, 15.1 percent; Menifee County, 14.7 percent; Morgan County, 14.5 percent; and Fulton County, 14.4 percent.

Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. The statistics in this news release are not seasonally adjusted to allow for comparisons between United States, state and county figures.